At Thursday evenings meeting of Thanet District Council the ruling administration were forced to delay implementing regulations controlling Houses of Multiple Occupation for A YEAR due to recent changes introduced by the coalition government.
At the meeting Cllr Clive Hart - Labour Leader of the Opposition said " the facts are, this is the TDC administrations enforced response to yet another retrograde and knee-jerk change in legislation brought in by the coalition government.
In October the coalition government rushed through changes that actually make it easier to create HMO's without thinking things through. Seaside authorities such as Thanet now have to play all kinds of legal games to cover themselves.
Unfortunately, the second rate option forced on us now leaves an unnecessary 12 month loophole for developers to exploit. I liken it to someone standing on a sharp object and cutting their foot and not being allowed to apply a plaster for a month".
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FROM THE REPORT BEING DISCUSSED (ITEM 14 COUNCIL AGENDA):
Paragraph 1.2 Until 1st October 2010 planning permission was required for change of use of a building including a dwelling house to an HMO. On 1st October 2010 the government introduced new legislation. Now planning permission is NOT required for the change of use of a dwelling house to an HMO for up to 6 people.
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The council could get around the matters in the report by making an article 4 direction for the whole of Thanet immediately.
To have made an article 4 direction immediately would have left TDC open to compensation claims.
So to get around the compensation claims the Council had to agree to publish its intention to make an article 4 direction in respect of the whole district to take effect in 12 months time (the 12 months notice removes any opportunity for compensation claims).
Unfortunately, the 12 month delay will also leave a year long loophole for developers to exploit. Going against everything the council is working towards on this issue (and in particular the newly created Margate Task Force).
Another coalition cock-up!
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